2 Samuel 6:1-11

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand.

2 He and all his men went to Baalah^[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,^[b] the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.

3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart

4 with the ark of God on it,^[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it.

5 David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets,^[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.

7 The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

8 Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[e]

9 David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

10 He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

11 The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

2 Samuel 6:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 6

In this chapter we are told that David fetched the ark from Baale of Judah, with an intent to bring it to his own city, 2Sa 6:1-5; but Uzzah being smitten for his error concerning it, David was displeased, and left it at the house of Obededom, where it remained three months, and proved a blessing to his house, 2Sa 6:6-11; which David hearing of, went and brought it from thence with great expressions of joy before it as it came along, and offered offerings to the Lord at the setting it in its place, and gave gifts to the people, 2Sa 6:12-19; but Michal his wife was displeased with some of his gestures on that occasion, which made some difference between them, and which, on Michal's part, was resented by the Lord himself; for she became barren for it to the time of her death, 2Sa 6:20-23.

Cross References

• 1. S Joshua 15:9
• 2. 1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Samuel 7:1
• 3. Leviticus 24:16; Deuteronomy 28:10; Isaiah 63:14
• 4. Psalms 99:1; Psalms 132:14
• 5. S Genesis 3:24; S Exodus 25:22; 1 Chronicles 13:5-6
• 6. ver 7; Numbers 7:4-9; S 1 Samuel 6:7
• 7. 2 Samuel 7:1
• 8. S Exodus 15:20
• 9. 1 Samuel 18:6-7; Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:27; Psalms 150:5
• 10. S Nu 4:15,19-20; 1 Chronicles 13:9
• 11. 1 Chronicles 15:13-15
• 12. S Exodus 19:22; S 1 Samuel 5:6; 1 Samuel 6:19; S 1 Samuel 25:38
• 13. Psalms 7:11
• 14. S Genesis 38:29
• 15. S 1 Samuel 6:20; Psalms 119:120
• 16. 1 Chronicles 13:13; 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 26:4-5
• 17. S Genesis 30:27; Genesis 39:5

Footnotes

• [a] That is, Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Chron. 13:6)
• [b] Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate do not have "the Name."
• [c] Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text "cart " 4"and they brought it with the ark of God from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill"
• [d] Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 13:8) "songs"
• [e] "Perez Uzzah" means "outbreak against Uzzah."